


The Crow's Aegis

by Trickster_Avenger17



Category: RWBY
Genre: Action/Adventure, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Romance, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-10-04 09:33:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17302148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trickster_Avenger17/pseuds/Trickster_Avenger17
Summary: Qrow Branwen always brought misfortune wherever he went. But was taking on a voyage with a woman named Astaire a change of pace from his normal bad luck or is it the worst luck of his life? Rated Mature for graphic depictions of violence and eventual smut. The Events of this fanfiction are set before the show begins. Mainly third person Qrow POV but at times it'll change to Astaire.





	1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Crows are a sign of bad luck.

It is a superstition that many believe to this very day. Others still think it’s just a work of fiction and paranoia. Those who do believe, however, keep crows away from them as much as possible to ward off the bad luck. Some even say crows are the symbol of death.

But for one man, it’s more than a superstition.

To him, it’s the way of life for him.

That’s how he got his name.

Qrow Branwen.

His Semblance of Misfortune constantly looms over him and those who dwell around his presence. It’s uncontrolled and doesn’t discriminate who it affects, causing him to distance himself away from those he cares about.

But no matter what he does, bad luck always lingers over him.

He is a harbinger.

An albatross.

A black cat.

A Crow.

This hunter roams the land slaying Grimm and keeping the peace over all of Remnant, choosing no one place to call home. He had abandoned his former tribe, not wishing to be a part of their slayings.

He was alone.

But, for whatever reason, luck would turn on this old bird once upon a time.

Even if it was short lived.


	2. Chapter 1: Fateful Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> EDIT 1/7/19: Astaire now has long hair and her clothing description has changed.

**Chapter 1: Fateful Encounter**

“Bartender, another one, please.” A gruff voice called to the woman behind the counter, setting an empty glass down with a clink. The sound echoed on the empty walls of the bar, the television washing it out quickly.

“Qrow, that’s your fifth one today...” The bartender sighed, looking to her lone customer. “Shouldn’t you be working anyway?”

Qrow smirked at the other, tapping the table. “Yeah, but I have some time left before my deadline.”

The bartender sighed and handed a new glass to the man, taking the old one away. “One day you’ll drink me out of business…”

“Is that a challenge?” Qrow inquired in a joking tone, taking a sip of the drink and getting a glare from the woman.

He had a habit of drinking before a job. To him, it was a tradition at this point. Every time someone asked him to take on a job in a town, he traveled to the location and inquired about his task. Once given a deadline, he’d go to the local bar and drink until he felt it was time to go. Many huntsmen consider it unprofessional, but he didn’t care.

He had a job to do as a huntsman and he was going to do his damnedest to do it right. Whether he was drunk or not depended on him. 

He checked his phone and noticed the time, sighing. “And this is where I go do my job.” He took out his flask and poured the rest of his drink in, sealing it and setting the glass down. Pulling out his wallet and paying for the drinks, he turned to leave. The tip of his sword, hooked to his back, hit the bar and tipped the glass over, causing it to roll off and crash to the ground. He began to walk out, pretending not to notice.

“Hey!” the bartender shouted at him. “You have to pay for that.”

“Just my luck…” He muttered, throwing some extra money on the counter before exiting the building. He turned down the road, heading towards the outlying forest.

Qrow wasn’t a stranger to incidents like that. It’s a “perk” of his semblance. Everywhere he went, misfortune follows in one way or another. Whether it was as small as a paper cut or as large as a big scale attack, it didn’t matter.

He didn’t let this hold him back from doing his job. Sure, sometimes he nearly gets killed, but he jumped back quickly and got back to work. He needed to make a name for himself and not let his past hold him back. He wouldn’t die letting the name Branwen be tainted by the thief’s tribe he used to associate himself with.

Before becoming a huntsman he was part of a thief tribe, roaming the land and killing innocent people. His twin sister and himself were the most ruthless of all, being the ones chosen to go to Beacon to train to become huntsmen. That way, they can kill innocents easier and have a better chance against wandering huntsmen. However, he realized early on he didn’t approve of their ways and disassociated himself from the tribe, opting for a life of solitude.

He didn’t mind this life, however. He got to see the sights and visit the smaller towns of Remnant, interacting with its citizens and gaining trust with everyone. Despite this, he still kept his distance and never stayed in one place for too long. Otherwise his luck would catch up to him and the town.

And that’s the last thing he wanted to happen.

Soon Qrow came to an opening in the forest, about two miles away from the town. He noticed some rustling bushes and gripped onto his sword, taking it off his back and holding it in front of him. Pushing his bangs back, he glanced around, noticing red eyes glaring at him.

“There you are, you little fucker.” He smirked, running towards the Grimm. He spun his sword in a circle and jumped into the air, only to be smacked down by a large claw. Slamming into the ground and rolling, he threw his sword and landed on its handle. He stood upon it and looked to the Grimm, seeing a large figure come out of the brush. It was bear-like in nature, completely black with white elements spotting its body.

“Okay.” He grinned, hopping off his sword and turning it into its gun form. “Not so little, are ya?”

The Grimm roared and charged at him, the huntsman shooting bullets at the monster. He jumped up as it neared him, continuing to load the monster up with bullets. Once he landed he pulled the trigger on his weapon, the blade whirring to life. He charged at the monster as it ran back, his sword unfurling into a large scythe.

“Now you’re in for it.” He smirked, spinning the scythe and sliding under the Grimm. The monster lunged at him and he moved swiftly, sliding under the beast. He held his scythe up and embedded the blade right into the monster, slicing it in half. The huntsman stopped when he was a few feet from the monster and kept his back to it. He heard as it vaporized into dust, never to exist again.

Qrow smirked and reverted his scythe to its sword form, attaching it to his back once more. “Easy job…” He took his phone out and opened it up. He began dialing a number when he froze, the hair on the back of his neck rising as a presence raced towards him.

That’s when he realized. The client had mentioned something about two Grimm, not just one. 

Maybe he should stop drinking so much before jobs.

He turned swiftly and began to unsheathe his sword, only to have a large paw swipe at him and send him flying. He cried out and his grip on his sword loosened, the man slamming into the ground. He groaned and looked upon the Grimm, noticing its gigantic form with its large wings. It roared at him and he tried getting up, the monster swiftly pinning him to the ground before he could.

“Shit!” He cursed as its claw sliced open his arm. He looked to the injury, grimacing at the blood that began to soak the sleeve. It was a new shirt too.

His eyes darted around and fell upon his sword, halfway across the meadow from where he was. The huntsman tried to get up, but the Grimm kept him from doing so and roared in his face. He glared the beast down and tried to use his legs to get up, failing due to the weight on him. 

Nothing was working for Qrow. He had let his guard down too easily and now he was going to die.

Maybe one last thing would work.

The man had to trick it to get off of him. The beast’s paws were crushing him, but he had to try. “Is that the best you can do?!” He shouted and tried to kick it off, seeing the beast roar and jump up. 

This was it. His opportunity.

He rolled before the paws landed on him, darting for his sword. He had to get to it before the beast noticed he was gone. He held the wound on his arm as he ran, reaching for the blade handle as he neared it.

It worked! He was going to get the upper hand.

Or so he thought.

Just as his fingertips met the handle, a large tail swung and landed right on his chest. Qrow gasped and flew back once more, landing hard on the ground and stopping at the foot of a tree. His head slammed into the tree and he grabbed it immediately, noticing a small cut had occurred. He looked up just as the Grimm lunged at him, paws landed on top of him and crushing him more than previously.

The huntsman cried out as the claws dug into his chest, some tearing the shirt. He cursed and looked up at the monster, seeing it roar and lift its head up. It opened its mouth and began to move toward him.

He closed his eyes, preparing for the inevitable. He was going to die by a beast he was hired to slay. There was nothing he could do. He couldn’t move. The cut on his head, albeit minor, was causing him to get somewhat dizzy.

Just his luck.

“Hey fugly! Over here!” He heard someone call out and opened his eyes, seeing the beast look to the side to inspect the noise. Just as it did, several gunshots rang out and the beast cried out, stumbling back as the shots landed in its head. Qrow sat up and held the cut on his head, looking around for the source of the bullets.

Just then, a blade spun around and lodged into the tree behind the beast, a large chain attached to the back. From what the huntsman saw, it looked like a small handheld scythe. He noticed the beast look to the trees and he glanced over, seeing someone jump from the leaves and use the chain to quickly move towards the beast.

He watched as they swung another of their blades and throw it at the beast, landing a hit right on their neck. They pulled on the chain as they moved past them, spinning the chain in a circle around the beast’s neck. It cried out as its head was severed, evaporating to dust.

The newcomer grabbed their other blade when they neared the tree it was embedded in, landing on the ground with their back to Qrow and right next to his sword. The huntsman looked as the chains retracted into the handles and landed around them, landed with a thud as the weights on the end met the ground. 

He scrambled to stand, groaning slightly. “H-hey!” He called out. “That was my kill you stole.” He began to walk towards them, watching as they stood.

“Oh, really?” They turned to him. “And if I hadn’t been here, where would be? Inside a Grimm’s stomach?”

Qrow stopped halfway to them, examining them closely. It was a woman, roughly the same age as him from what he could tell. Her long, jet black hair was accessorized by a white headband, her bangs framing her face. Her outfit consisted of mainly black, hints of red and white sprinkled throughout it. Her blue eyes bore into his red ones, a smirk plastered on her face. She stood a few inches shorter than Qrow, the top of her head reaching the bottom of his nose.

“Who the fuck are you?” He asked, brow raised.

She sheathed her weapons to her back, grabbing his sword and examining it. “I should ask you the same thing, but you beat me to the words.” She said snarkily, throwing the sword at him to catch. “I’m Astaire. And you are?”

Qrow caught the blade, glaring and sheathing it. “Qrow.”

“Qrow? As in Qrow Branwen?” She smirked, looking to him. “From the thief tribe?”

“That’s not me.” He growled in warning, shoving a finger in her direction.

“And yet this town decided to still hire you??” She laughed. “And here I thought the person they hired was more capable of taking down two weak ass Grimm than what I saw!”

The man growled and walked up to her, grabbing her shirt and forcing her to look at him. “Who the fuck gives you any right to mock me?!”

“Jesus, you reek of booze.” She waved her hand in front of her nose, seemingly unintimidated. 

“You’re one to talk.” Qrow threw her back, noting her smell.

She landed on her back and stood up, dusting herself off. “It helps with fighting, jackass.” She retorted, her eyes wandering to his arm. “You should get to a doctor, though. Wouldn’t want the great Qrow to get infected with something.” She mocked him, laughing.

He looked to his arm and grimaced, sighing. He turned away and waved at her. “Thanks for the save, Lady. Hope I never meet you again.”

“Welcome.” She responded, raising her middle finger at him. “And fuck you too.”

Qrow sighed and walked back into the town, looking around for the nearest clinic.As soon as he located it, he walked in and asked for assistance, the nurse immediately taking him to treat his wounds.

The entire time, Astaire lingered on his mind. Who the hell was she and how was she in the right place at the right time to save him? If she hadn’t appeared, then maybe he would have been killed. Nonetheless, he thought of her as a bitch. It was his job to take down those Grimm and out of nowhere she pops in to steal his kill. Hopefully the client wouldn’t know about her and he could still get paid in full.

Despite all that, how the hell did she know about his past? He never told anyone about that and, if they had inquired, he would dismiss them and tell him that’s not him anymore. But this random stranger comes out of nowhere and knows all about his past? Did he know her from somewhere? Did she meet the Branwen tribe before?

Did she come from the Branwen tribe?

No way she was in that tribe. She wasn’t dressed like a thief.

He shook his head at the thought, the nurse working on his head warning him not to do that. He apologize and went back into his thoughts, trying not to upset the nurse again.

  * •••••••••



After about an hour he thanked the nurse and paid them for their help, leaving and walking towards the client’s house. It had darkened into night quickly and he looked to the moon in the sky. Its shattered form still shown light upon Remnant, the broken bits a looming message to all. What that message was, no one knew.

Qrow walked down the dimly lit street and knocked on the door of his client, the town mayor to be precise. He waited and pulled out a flask, taking a drink from it. He sighed as the strong liquid slid down his throat, intoxicating him further. Putting it away he looked back to the door, watching as it opened. 

“Ah, Qrow. Come in, come in!” The mayor greeted him, smiling as the huntsman entered. His expression changed when he noted the wounds peppering the huntsman. “Oh my! I hope your injuries are not too terrible.”

Qrow waved a hand in the air. “Not at all. These are just typical for my line of work. I’ll be fine in a few days.”

“That is excellent to hear, then.” The mayor smiled, patting Qrow’s shoulder. “I do thank you greatly for your services. Are you sure there isn’t another way this town can repay you besides the initial reward?”

“No need, Mayor…” The huntsman offered a smile to the other. “I wouldn’t want this town indebted to me for something as simple as two Grimm.”

The mayor nodded. “Alright, then. Let me get your reward money.” He walked off into his office as Qrow followed, looking around the large room.

As the man rummaged through his desk, a knock came at the door. Qrow looked towards it and raised a brow, the mayor looking to him. “My apologies to ask of this, but can you answer the door for me, Qrow? I’m having a hard time finding this reward money I put aside.”

“No need to apologize.” Qrow shrugged, walking to the front door and opening it. “Hello-?”

He froze, looking at the person standing there.

Astaire.

“Ah fuck. Not you again.” She groaned, pushing past him and walking to the office. 

Qrow glared as the woman blew past him, closing the door and walking back to the room behind her. “Just my luck that I run into you again…”

“I was hoping you’d be long gone by now.” She replied in a whining tone, walking into the room. “Hello, Mr. Mayor!”

“Ah, Astaire!” The mayor greeted, looking up from a drawer. “I assume your mission went well?”

“Yes, sir it did.” She replied in a cheery tone, causing Qrow to cringe. How could someone this bitchy be so cheery all of a sudden? “No thieves camps or anything of the like are in your area. If one should pop up in my absence, let me know and I’ll take care of them as quick as I can.”

“Thank you so much, Astaire.” He replied, walking over to the two and handing each an envelope. “Here is both of your rewards. I do hope you both rest well. I had my Inn put aside two of their best rooms for you to stay the night.”

“Thank you.” Qrow replied, taking the envelope and opening it to glance at the money. “If you have any other missions, please let me know. I’ll be leaving first thing in the morning.”

“Will do, Qrow. Thank you again.” He smiled and looked to woman. “Same goes to you, Astaire. If I need your services once more, I will be in contact.”

“Thank you.” She smiled, taking the envelope. “I do hope we work again soon.”

“As do I to both of you. Now, go get some rest.” The mayor walked the two huntsmen to the door, closing it behind them when they walked outside.

“I need a drink…” Qrow groaned and put the envelope away, walking towards the nearest bar.

“Hey!” Astaire called after him. “Qrow, stop! I want to talk!”

Qrow ignored the woman and continued walking, going into the bar and sitting at a lone table. He ordered his usual whisky and leaned back in his chair so it hit the wall, closing his eyes.

Today had been rough on him. Almost being killed was one thing, but being saved by someone like her was even worse. He was fully capable of defeating Grimm himself. To him, being saved like that is embarrassing. If word got out that some amateur saved him and finished his job, his reputation would go down. That or that woman’s would skyrocket for being the one to save the famous Qrow Branwen.

Maybe he should go to another town to get away from all of this. Maybe he should take a year off and go back to stay with his former teammate and his daughters. It would give him a chance to recuperate and start anew when he gets back into hunting. Knowing Taiyang, he would welcome him in with open arms. Hell, his nieces would be ecstatic to see their uncle home.

No...he couldn’t do that to them. Knowing his luck, if he stayed there for a year, at one point someone would get hurt. Or worse. And that’s the last thing he was wanting with his family.

Qrow sighed deeply and opened his eyes, seeing his drink being set on the table by the waitress. He nodded in thanks and took the glass, taking a sip as his eyes closed.

“Can you be even more of an alcoholic asshole?”

He jumped at the sudden voice and nearly spilled his drink, looking across the table to see Astaire sitting there. She had a bored look on her face, a beer bottle in one hand. Her eyes bore into his, head resting in her free palm.

“The hell do you want?” He asked with an irritated tone, setting his glass down.

“I want to talk.” She replied, taking a sip of her beer and sighing. 

“About what?” He narrowed his eyes, leaning back in his chair. “I already told you thank you.”

“Yeah, well now you owe me.” She replied.

He groaned loudly, taking his drink and sipping it. “Look, lady-”

“Astaire.”

“Whatever.” He looked to her, pointing a finger at her. “I don’t owe you shit. That was my job and you were rude enough to intrude on it.”

“If I hadn’t done what I did, you wouldn’t have died!” She spat back, slamming her fist on the table.

The two of them stayed silent for a moment. Qrow glared at the woman all the while, gripping the glass in his hands. Yes, she had a point, but he did not wish to be indebted to anyone. Much less her. She stared back at him just as intimidatingly, hand curled around her beer.

“....fine.” He groaned, seeing that she wasn’t going to let up. “What do you want to talk about?”

He watched as a smile grew on Astaire’s face, immediately regretting his decision. “I’m headed to Beacon Academy. I heard the headmaster has some good work for hunters and huntresses.”

“Yeah, and it’s called ‘school’. Plus, his name is Ozpin.” Qrow replied.

An ice chip hit him square in the head, causing him to glare at the woman. “Listen, asshole.” She replied. “I heard it’s great work and he’s offering it to us, so I want to go check it out.”

“And why are you telling me this?” The man asked, wiping his forehead.

“I want you to come along. Fellow huntsmen traveling together is better than alone.”

“No.”

Astaire frowned. “Come on, Qrow. Sure, I hate you with every fiber of my being, but I think you and I can make it there with little hassle.”

“Lady, that’s a four month travel from here on foot.” He replied. “Unless you have an idea to get there sooner, then I don’t want any part of it.”

She sighed. “I can make it worth your while. I can teach you stuff and you teach me. I also know some shortcuts and detours we can take to get there quicker. Should be about two to three months, including trains and other methods.”

Qrow sipped his drink and looked to her, brow raised. “And what can you teach me?”

She smirked. “I can teach you more about Grimm and give better insight on how to take them down easier.” She said. “I grew up reading books and learning techniques at Haven.”

He looked to her and frowned. “...and will Ozpin pay us for our work or is it volunteer?”

“I heard he would pay us for this work. Plus he has contacts for places who need it.” She replied, holding her hand out. “And once we get there, we can go our separate ways. We wouldn’t have to see each other ever again. This would be a one time thing. We could also take some small jobs along the way. Do we have a deal?”

Qrow looked to the woman’s hand, brow raised as he thought. He knew Ozpin from his time as a student at Beacon. From what he remembered, he was kind and strict, always looking out for the safety of everyone. Maybe this would be worth the trip. Taking the small jobs would help increase his funds and help them get to Beacon quicker. Plus if she was going to teach him about new methods to kill Grimm, it might be a good idea to travel with her this one time.

Either that or they would get killed day one of the trip, knowing his luck.

But if there was the potential of a great job lying ahead, what’s the worst that can happen?

He groaned slightly and took her hand, shaking it. “...deal. But there’s no guarantees I’ll enjoy our trip.”

“Oh I know.” She smiled, shaking his hand and signaling the waitress to order more drinks. “We leave first thing in the morning.”

“Why so early?” He asked.

“I want to get a head start on this trip.” She replied. “And the less time with you, the better.”

“I’m glad we have mutual feelings for one another.” He replied, looking to the waitress and asking for a double order of whiskey when asked. He watched as Astaire ordered another two beers and some food, his gaze soon moving to the television.

Maybe he did the right thing. He’d get more money for jobs and a potential permanent one with lots of pay involved. Plus he’d get some help from someone and they’d benefit from his help too. As long as his semblance was in check the whole time, their trip should be quick and painless.

At least that’s what he hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 down! Now the long road to completion begins!
> 
> Also, with these fics, if you see any errors, don't be afraid to let me know! I know I was thorough in looking, but my eyes can only do so much. Thanks!!
> 
> EDIT 1/7/19: Sorry for the last minute changes. I was thinking about it for a while and wanted to change Astaire up a bit. I don't plan to change her up again.


	3. Chapter 2: Bon Voyage

**Chapter 2: Bon Voyage**

Qrow awoke the next morning to the sound of banging at his hotel door, groaning and holding his head. He had ordered more drinks than he had wanted the night previously and his body was retaliating. Damn, that woman he was with could hold her alcohol well.

He sat up and grumbled to himself, shouting at the door. “Calm down! I’ll be out in a minute!”

“Get your ass out of bed!” Astaire’s voice bellowed from beyond the door. “We need to get moving if we want to get a head start!”

He looked to the window and noticed the sun shining through the curtains. As he stood up a wave of lightheadedness washed over him, causing him to almost fall over. He caught his balance, hearing the knocking at the door persist. Groaning he shouted back “Give me a minute!”

A loud “ugh” was heard on the opposite side of the door. “Fine! Just hurry it up!” She shouted.

Qrow sighed deeply and walked to the bathroom, splashing himself in the face with water. He looked to the mirror and blew his bangs out of his eyes, changing into his usual outfit and smoothing out his hair. 

He normally didn’t drink to the point where he couldn’t remember much, but he guessed  that Astaire kept buying him drinks. He wondered if she liked him or just wanted to see him blackout drunk. He hoped to god that nothing bad happened or nothing happened between them. He shuddered at the thought of them together and rubbed his face. “Like that would ever happen.” He muttered to himself. 

Qrow walked out of the bathroom and gathered his belongings, hooking his sword to his back. Once he finished getting ready he went to the door, opening it and seeing Astaire standing there with an annoyed look plastered on her face.

“Fucking finally.” She said, walking towards the stairs. “Let’s get moving. We don’t want this trip taking forever, now do we?”

“Anything to get away from you sooner.” He retorted, following her and rubbing his neck. “You’re already a pain in my ass.” 

“Same to you, but you’re the only one who said yes to me.” She replied. “And I am holding you to the deal until we either die, kill each other, or make it to the end.”

“I can’t imagine why anyone would say no to someone like you.” He sarcastically retorted. He noticed her outfit: a short skirt and a jacket over a camisole, her hair tied in a half ponytail with a green headband. She wore ankle boots and knee high socks, her chain scythes hooked to her back along with her bag. He blushed slightly at her skirt, sighing. “You’re not dressed for the weather, that’s for sure.”

“You have no right looking at me like that.” She turned around on a dime, looking up to him. “Look, this already isn’t pleasant for me either, but keep yapping like this and you won’t make it to sundown.”

He smirked, crossing his arms and looking down to her. “You? You’re much shorter than me. How can someone who’s as small as you do something to me?” He patted her head, speaking in a childlike tone.

She smacked his hand away, turning and walking to the stairs. “I hate you so fucking much.”

“Back at you.” He followed her, sighing deeply.

They walked to the lobby and returned their keys, heading out into the town. Qrow glanced around and slid his hands into his pockets, letting out a deep sigh. His head ached slightly from the night before and caused him to wince when he got outside into the sunlight. Still, his thoughts kept swirling in his mind as if it was clear of any impairment.

Was he doing the right thing? If he went with this woman, there would probably be a great job and rewards to be had. He wanted those rewards and he needed the money. Even so, knowing his luck, something bad would happen along the way. As he glanced to the woman, he kept debating on whether or not he was making the right choice.

On the one hand, he knew Ozpin would pay well if they went to help him out with jobs. He knew Ozpin cared for the safety of everyone and knew he wouldn’t risk the lives of the innocent. Additionally, he had connections and could send Qrow on jobs and missions that needed to be done. Qrow would rather work with someone like that and help protect everyone. Maybe then he could help the Branwen name be cleared.

On the other hand, he’s heard rumors of Ozpin being secretive. Qrow knew his fair share of secrets, but did Ozpin really know more than he was letting on? Was he the good guy everyone thought he was? Was he a good headmaster for an academy formed to making some of the world’s best huntresses and huntsmen? Or was there so much more to Ozpin than meets the eye?

“Hey!” A voice called and snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked to Astaire, brow raised. “You done with your daze yet?”

“Sorry…” He sighed. “I was just thinking is all.”

“Penny for your thoughts.”

“Fuck off.”

She smirked, walking down the streets of the town. “I figured we would get something to eat first before we head out. Wouldn’t want your hangover to get too bad on ya.”

“Shut up.” He groaned, rubbing his face.

Maybe he shouldn’t have made this deal.

“Let’s go….here!” She pointed to a cafe, walking over as Qrow followed behind her.

It was a small shop with a few tables outside, each one adorned with an umbrella. There was no inside seating for the shop, the building colored a light blue and a dark gray oriental roof topping the shop. The shop’s name was carved into a wooden sign, painted brightly and hanging over the awning. Under the awning a service counter awaited its next customers, the workers shuffling behind it as others worked behind another wall cooked and rang up orders. The smell of cinnamon and coffee surrounded the atmosphere, causing the stomachs of all who walk by to sing in a harmonious chorus of hunger.

“It does smell good…” Qrow noted, looking around. 

“Yeah, it does.” Astaire replied, looking at the menu. “Order what you want. But make it something easy to take on the road.”

“So we’re not gonna sit down and relax?” He asked, brow raised.

She looked to him, holding a finger up. “Rule number one: this is my trip and we go at my pace. You’re just tagging along and helping so I don’t get lost or killed. Number two: Do what I say and don’t do your own thing. That can get us killed.”

“Like I’ll ever listen to your rules.” He scoffed, looking to the menu. 

If there’s one thing Qrow didn’t like, it was being told what to do my someone like her. She was a selfish bitch. No way was he going to listen to her and follow her rules. He knew the route to Beacon much better than she did, and from where they were it was a long trip. Plus he knew the cold season was upon them and they would be caught in storms if they didn’t make it from town to town quick enough. Knowing his plans he had to go visit Taiyang and his family for the holidays would be out the door, but he knew that they would understand. At least that’s what he hoped.

This trip would be hell on earth with her. But at least it wouldn’t last long. He planned to leave her as soon as they speak to Ozpin at Beacon. He hoped he would never see her again. If they crossed paths again, maybe they could be friends. That is if Ozpin allows them both to begin missions with him. But he wanted to be as far away from her as possible.

“Hey, birdy!” Astaire snapped in his face, causing Qrow to come out of his thoughts.

“The hell you want?” He asked, annoyed.

“Order something.” She said, pointing to the clerk behind the counter. 

He looked and nodded, glancing at the menu and ordering his food. The woman paid for the food and they sat at an empty table, waiting for their food to be brought out to them. 

“Okay.” Astaire began, pulling out a map. “There is a town on the other side of this forest.” She began, pointing to the town and sliding her finger across to show the path. “This is the route we will take. I want to make it to the town before nightfall.”

“That is a long route, Astaire.” He scratched his head, brows furrowed. “We would be making it there way after dark. And these woods are known for being infested with Grimm.”

She looked to him, unimpressed. “Qrow, we’re both huntsmen. We can take care of those bastards easily. At least I know I can.” She  muttered the last part, looking back to the map.

“I know I can.” He retorted, annoyed.

“Oh really?” She grinned. “Then tell me why did I have to save your ass yesterday?”

“I could have gotten myself out of that situation without you.” He glared at her. 

“Really? How?” She asked. 

Qrow leaned in close to her, his eyes staring hers down. “That is none of your business, you bitch.”

“Get out of my face.” She pushed him away forcefully

The force of her push caused her chair to lose balance, falling backwards and taking her down with it. Qrow watched and laughed at her, leaning back in his chair. He grabbed his stomach and placed a hand on his head, not able to control his fits of laughter. He looked down to her and watched as she stood up, fuming and face red with anger and embarrassment.

“How dare you!” She shouted, grabbing his shirt and pulling him out of his seat. “You have no right to do that to me!”

“Do what?” He smirked, fighting off the last bits of laughter. “Your chair loosened itself.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Astaire...you’re causing a scene.”

Both of them looked around and noticed the townspeople watching them, whispering among themselves. Some were giggling a bit while others passed by without speaking a word. He also overheard some of them whispering about them possibly being a couple and that made him almost physically ill. 

“I don’t think this is what a huntsman would want to be looking like in front of others.” He whispered to her, grabbing her wrists and removing her hands from his shirt. “Now let’s just get the food and get going.”

She nodded and watched as a waiter brought them a bag of food. She swiped it and began walking to the edge of town, head down to hide her face.Qrow followed close behind her, watching as the townspeople witnessed them leaving. He sighed and brushed their stares off, walking on the path as he took his food from Astaire.

Qrow thought about this journey he was taking, looking back at the town and debating whether or not to go back. On one hand this would be a profitable journey. If there was a chance for a large sum of money coming from Ozpin, then he would be set for a long while. He could travel all over and get large sums of jobs done. Plus he’d be helping out by cutting down the amount of Grimm terrorizing the citizens of Remnant.

On the other hand, he’ll have to spend months with this bitch of a woman. He knew it would be a torturous trip with her and the last thing he wanted is to spend any amount of time with her. But if he tolerated her long enough, maybe they’ll become friends. That or they would kill one another on this trip. Whichever came first.

He sighed and looked away from the town, deciding to stay on this trip. He knew it would be worth it in the end and he would try to make it as enjoyable as possible. Which would be hard with her around. Maybe he could…

“Hey! Are you listening?” Astaire interrupted his thoughts, stopping and snapping in his face.

He stopped and looked down to her, shoving her hand away from his face. “Excuse you.”

“Get your head out of the clouds.” She warned, turning and beginning her walk again. “Now, if you’ll listen, I asked you something.”

Qrow sighed, walking behind her. “And what was that?”

“What’s your semblance? I need to know so I know if it’ll be useful to us.” 

His mouth twitched at the question, knowing she wouldn’t like the answer. No one did. If he told her, maybe she would tell him to leave and he wouldn’t have to deal with her again. But if she did keep him around, maybe he could learn to control it and use it only when needed.

Hopefully.

“My semblance?” He asked, confirming her question.

“Jeez, you’re hopeless…” She groaned. “Yes, I asked you about your semblance. What is it?”

“It’s Misfortune.” He replied. 

She looked to him, brow raised. “Misfortune? So what, you can cause the enemy to have misfortune in fights? If so that’s pretty useful.”

“Kind of…” He shrugged. “It’s kind of...always on.”

“Always on?”

“Yeah. I’m probably the unluckiest person you could have asked on this trip.”

“Ah...no wonder the name.” She replied. “But we can use that to our advantage as well.”

“And what’s your semblance?” He inquired.

“It’s Shield. I can put a shield around anyone and anything I desire.” She replied. “But I can only do one at a time. And if I’m weak enough I can’t use it at all.”

“That is pretty useful…” Qrow remarked, looking around at the trees.

“Yeah, but like hell I’ll use it on you.” She sneered, smirking at him.

“And I hope my misfortune rubs off on you.” He retorted, smirking at her.

Both of them huffed and looked away from one another, continuing their walk. Qrow wanted nothing more than to not be with her, but traveling together was better than alone. Especially with the shocking rates that Grimm are showing up around Remnant. He knew two or more huntsmen together would be beneficial and more life saving over anything.

Maybe that’s why he took this journey. He knew without his help she wouldn’t make it far. Maybe seeing her go alone made something inside him want to go along to help. It could also be the promise of the jobs ahead and the money to come. But maybe having her as company would help keep him sane on this trip.

Or it would drive him insane. Who knows? 


	4. Chapter 3: Bonding Time

**Chapter 3: Bonding Time**

“We have to be close now, Astaire.” Qrow groaned a bit, taking another swig from his flask.

“We are. Calm your tits.” Astaire replied, looking to her map. “The town should be somewhere near here. I know it.”

The pair of them had started their journey several days prior. From the start, all the two of them have done was bicker about directions and some other minor things. They had stayed in two towns already and no jobs had come from them during their stay. Now they were walking again to their next destination, which had a train, according to Astaire. Their plan was to take it and travel to the next stop, then continue their journey to the next town.

At least they would if they weren’t lost.

What’s worse is that he knew both of them were sobering up. Not a good thing.

“Astaire, admit it. We’re lost.” Qrow began, looking to the girl. “Five days in and we’re already lost.”

“We aren’t lost.” She argued, pointing to her map. “We should be around here. So the town should be just up ahead.”

He sighed and looked to the sky, seeing the sun beat down on them. Despite it being almost wintertime, the heat still consumed them. He wiped his brow and sighed, stopping and sitting against a tree. “Astaire, we should rest and gather our bearings.”

“But if we stop now it’ll take longer and we’ll miss the trains today.” She whined, looking to him. “Get your old ass moving!”

“I’m not old.” He replied, crossing his arms. “But we need to rest. You’re looking pale.”

“What do you mean?” She asked, brow raised. “I’m fine.”

Qrow sighed and dug a bottle of water out of his bag, throwing it at her. “Here. Drink something and relax. You need your strength back.”

She caught it and sighed, setting her bag down and sitting next to him. “I don’t want to be relaxing here for too long.”

“I know. We just need a few minutes.” He replied, taking his sword and examining it for imperfections. He usually didn’t find much, but he knew it needed to be pristine for any battles coming their way.

“So…” Astaire began, looking to his sword. “What’s your story?”

“What do you mean?” He asked, looking to her.

“I mean, I know you were part of the Branwen tribe. Besides that, tell me more about you.”

“You don’t sound too enthused about asking me that.” He noted her tone.

“Yeah, but I like to know about who I’m traveling with. Security reasons, mainly.”

He sighed and set his sword in his lap, looking to her. “It’s not too much of a story, since you know about the tribe. But I left them long ago after I graduated from Beacon. They sent me and my twin sister Raven there to learn more techniques about killing. Plus they wanted us to have an advantage over other huntsmen.”

“That sounds terrible.” She replied, taking another drink of the water.

“Yeah...but I left them because I did not agree with their terms. I don’t know where they are, but all I know is my sister is now head of that tribe. But since I left I’ve just been taking jobs here and there.”

“Got any other family besides your sister?”

He nodded, leaning against the tree and looking to the sky. “Yeah... a brother in law and two nieces. His name is Taiyang and he and my sister had a daughter, Yang. But Raven abandoned both of them years ago. Tai then had another daughter named Ruby with someone else, but she has since passed. I’ve tried to help him as much as possible, but with my semblance…”

“You’re afraid to hurt them…” She finished for him, looking down.

“Yeah, but it is what it is. I was going to visit them soon, but I’m here with you, so it’ll have to be after.”

“Yeah, you made a deal with me.” She replied.

“More like a deal with the devil.” He smirked, causing her to punch him in the arm. He chuckled a bit at her reaction, looking back at his sword. “Now that you know about me, what about you?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“You asked about me. I think it’s fair if I ask about you.”

“True…” She sighed, closing her eyes. “I was always an outcast because of my family. My mother was human and my dad was a Faunus…”

“So you’re part Faunus?” Qrow asked.

“Kind of, I guess. I was born a human, but even so, my parents being together was frowned upon where I lived. My mother was killed when I was a child and my father ran away from the town with me. He taught me a lot about how to fight and such, but he died not long after my mother. After that some people took me in and taught me more, but I ran from them since they weren’t the best people. I’ve been on my own ever since.”

“Gotcha…” Qrow nodded, looking to her. “What kind of Faunus was your father?”

“Spider Monkey.” She replied. “So I know some tricks like they do, but I’m not one.”

“No wonder why you were swinging when we first met.”

“Yeah.” She replied.

Qrow nodded, closing his eyes for a bit. Both of them had troubled pasts. Of course, she was part Faunus in a way, but that mattered little to him. He didn’t care about that. He knew they shared some commonalities. Maybe they could be friends at one point...

He shook the thought off. No way he was going to begin to care for someone like her. All he cared about is if she can fight and keep him alive or not. And if she was good, was she good enough to take him in a fight.

Okay, now he was curious.

He stood, smirking. “Get up.” He said, grabbing his sword.

“Why?” She raised a brow. “Aren’t we supposed to relax for a bit?”

“Yeah, but I want to challenge you.” 

“What do you mean?” She asked, standing.

He raised his sword to her, making sure it didn’t touch. “I want to challenge you to a sparring match.”

She chuckled, crossing her arms. “Okay, wise ass. What happens when I win?”

“Whatever you want.” He grinned. “Name your terms.”

She smirked, tapping her chin with her finger as she thought. “Alright...if I win, then you have to go a full month without complaining and do as I say.”

He nodded. “Alright. And same to you if I win.”

“No copying.”

“I wasn’t finished.” He spun his sword around, holding it on his shoulder. “Whoever wins also gets to use the map and guide us for the rest of the journey.”

“Hey! This is my journey.” Astaire pouted.

“Yeah, but this will determine if you’re good enough against someone like me. If you are, then you can continue holding the reins on this trip.” He continued. “Also, no life threatening injuries. The weapons can be in any form, but keep it to minor cuts and scrapes if anything. Whoever knocks the other one’s weapon away from them and pin them down will win. That or the first who submits will lose.”

The duo smirked and shook hands, the woman unhooking her weapons. She spun them and the chains retracted into the handle, putting the two handles together at the bottom. They latched together with a click and the handles extended on either side, the blades extending to be about three feet longer.

“Ah, good weapon choice.” Qrow smirked, transforming his sword into its scythe form. “So two scythe wielders going head to head.”

“This should be interesting.” She spun her dual ended scythe, balancing it on her shoulders afterwards. 

Time to see who the better huntsman was.

Qrow spun his scythe and swiped it at her, seeing her stop it with the handle of her weapon. He grinned and spun around, slicing downwards at her. She avoided it by using her weapon like a pole vault, jumping several meters away from him. She dashed at him and began to spin like a ballerina, holding her weapon close as she went for him. He quickly transformed his scythe back into a sword, blocking her attack and aiming his gun at her.

“Hey no guns!” She pouted, dodging it as it nicked her cheek.

“Never said no guns, sweetie.” He grinned, jumping back from her.

“Don’t ever call me that.” She growled, separating her blades and spinning them in circles.

“Oh, did I hit a nerve?” Qrow mocked, dodging when she threw a blade at him. He felt the tip of it nick his cheek as he grabbed the chain, pulling her close to him. Jumping into the air he spun once, slamming his blade down and making contact to the ground. She had jumped out of the way and flipped a bit, landing nearby.

“You aren’t super rusty, birdie.” She smirked. 

“Don’t call me that.” He warned, turning his sword to a scythe once more.

“Struck a chord with ya, huh?” She grinned.

The both of them rushed one another, the sound of blades hitting blades echoing in the forest. Whatever one did, the other retaliated with similar speed. They were pretty evenly matched with skill and speed, dodging attacks and giving one another small cuts on occasion.

Qrow grinned, swinging his sword and scythe whenever he got the chance. He felt so alive dueling like this. He hadn’t done anything close to this in so long. It felt good. He felt good. He couldn’t help but smile throughout the duel. He felt exhilarated and was not wanting this to end. But he knew it had to.

She kept coming at him, blades spinning and clashing with his. He switched from sword and scythe often, using it to try to hit her. He used the end of the handle and thrust it into her side, making sure not to harm her...much. She returned the favor with her handle at the same time, both of them crying out a bit in pain. It didn’t last long, however, as they both were back to hit after hit quickly after recovering. 

After several minutes Astaire threw her blade into a tree, swinging into it and vanishing into the bushes. Qrow looked around and listened to the ruffling of the leaves. He knew if he could track her, he could beat her. He’s seen her do this trick before. If he could just track her down…

Just as he was listening, he heard a noise behind him, trying to turn to retaliate, but getting knocked in the back. He cried out and skidded a bit, keeping on his feet. He turned and barely saw Astaire before she vanished into the trees again. He couldn’t let her do that again.

He slowed his breathing and listened for the leaves rustling again. He made it so the scythe didn’t have its blade out, not wishing to cut her with is move. He closed his eyes to focus more, almost everything around him quieting except for the trees.

Just as he calmed himself a bit he heard a sudden burst from a tree behind him. He opened his eyes and swung his scythe around, catching Astaire in its blade area. She cried out as he stopped his spin, tossing her to the other side of the path. She landed lard against a tree, blades still clutched in her hands. She fell to the ground, groaning in pain.

Qrow smirked and went over to her, watching as she stood. She raised her blades to take another swing, but in one swift motion they were out of her hands. The man quickly put his sword away, took both of her wrists, and slammed her against the tree. She struggled to break free, her attempts unsuccessful.

“I win.” Qrow grinned, his face close to hers.

“No fair. That hurt like hell.” She pouted.

“I think it was.”

Both of them panted heavily from the fight, their booze laced breaths mixing together. All of a sudden both of them turned red, realizing how close they were to one another. Qrow immediately dropped her wrists and turned away, clearing his throat. That was incredibly awkward. He had not meant to be that close to her, especially after a fight. He felt his face heat up at the thought of being close to her and shook his head, patting it with his hand and walking back to his bag.

“W-we should get our wounds cleaned up.” He broke the silence, trying to control his shaky tone.

“Agreed.” She replied in a defeated, sitting next to her bag and shuffling through it. She pulled the map out, handing it to him. “Here. You won fair and square.”

He sat on the ground as he took the map, going through his bag.  “Thanks…” He took some bandages out and handed them to Astaire. She took them, thanking him in response.

An awkward silence surrounded them, causing Qrow to get a bit uncomfortable. Had he done something wrong to Astaire? She seemed upset at him. Sure he did win the sparring match, but maybe there was something else. Was it the fact they were that close to one another? Maybe pinning her like that wasn’t the best idea, but it happened in the heat of the moment. He didn’t mean to get as close as he did, but he lost control of himself for a minute. 

Was he starting to have feelings for her? Did he do that out of intent or was it something more?

He shook his head and mocked a gag. No way. There’s no way in hell he would ever fall for someone like Astaire. She didn’t have a single feature he liked. Not even the way she looks.

“Hey dipshit.” Astaire’s voice sounded bored. “Tell me about your nieces.”

“Why should I?” He asked as he looked to her, seeing her look to the sky.

“Don’t get me wrong. I still hate you. But I like kids so I want to know about them.”

He smirked a bit and looked to the sky as well. “They’re the best nieces ever. Adorable fuckers and whenever I visit I can’t get them off of my legs.” He chuckled, pulling out his scroll and popping open a photo. He showed it to Astaire, seeing her smile a bit.

“So these are your nieces. They’re adorable, like you said.”

“Yeah they are.” He put his scroll away. “Yang is a real firecracker. Can’t get her to shut up sometimes. And Ruby keeps on asking me to teach her some tricks.”

“Why don’t you?” Astaire inquired.

Qrow sighed, leaning back against the tree. “I don’t want to endanger her. I know both of them want to become huntresses, yeah, but who’s to say they won’t be in danger from then on?”

“Well…” She smiled. “That’s the fun of it all.”

“Yeah, true…” Qrow replied, looking to her.

They stared at one another for a minute, soon realizing their expressions. They both turned red and turned away, Qrow clearing his throat. Another awkward silence befell them, the air around them almost stiff with it. After a bit Qrow let out a fake cough, needing to make it less awkward.

“We should head off.” He stood, taking his bag and picking up the map. “If we take this path we will make it to town before dark.”

Astaire stood and nodded, adjusting her bag and weapons to her back. “Sounds good to me. Lead the way.”

He nodded and walked off, the woman following behind him.

The entire way to the next town Qrow’s thoughts kept wandering. The sparring match and their chat made him see a bit more to Astaire than a bitch, but he still didn’t like her one bit. But seeing as she took interest in his nieces, she couldn’t be all that bad.

Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day! I plan to post more with this one and Only Human soon. Been on a kick lately with writing.
> 
> As a side note, Astaire's weapons are that of a Japanese weapon called kusarigama. That way those who want a reference to what hers look like they can look it up.

**Author's Note:**

> I've been on a RWBY kick lately and, seeing as I'm literal fandom trash, here's a new fanfic! There will be eventual smut, so for now this is on a mature rating until it arrives at that point. For now, enjoy!!!


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